It was exactly one year ago that San Bernardino County residents heard the news that a former board of supervisors chairman and an ex-top county official were charged in a wide-ranging conspiracy surrounding the 3-2 board of supervisors decision to settle a long-standing lawsuit stemming from a dispute over flood control easements surrounding the construction of the Colonies Crossroads shopping center and housing development in north Upland.

Councilman Desjardins steps down from City Council to care for ailing mother Friday, February 11, 2011 – 10:00 a.m.

San Bernardino City Councilmember Jason Desjardin today announced that he is leaving the City Council to care for his ailing mother who is suffering from blood clots and serious heart problems after having her gall bladder removed. His departure will become effective at 5:00 PM on Friday, Feb. 11.

SAN BERNARDINO – An internal memo from the City Attorney’s Office to top city officials said Police Chief Keith Kilmer will rescind his voluntary salary concession if he is forced to pay back relocation assistance money he received when he took the job here.

Medical marijuana advocates met with San Bernardino County officials on Thursday to present a proposed ordinance they say would keep pot out of inappropriate hands and honor Californians’ vote to allow access to medical marijuana.

Capitol Alert The latest on California politics and government February 10, 2011

California Budget Brown.jpgAfter two days of talks with Democratic and Republican lawmakers in Sacramento, Gov. Jerry Brown said this morning that even fellow Democrats are not yet sufficiently behind his budget plan.

A Sacramento tribal lobbyist and former legislative aide who failed to file quarterly disclosure statements for three years should have known better, state Fair Political Practices commissioners said Thursday.

Frank J. Molina, who represents Indian tribes with casinos in Southern California, could face $50,000 in fines after commissioners balked at settling the case with a $30,000 penalty.

LOS ANGELES – Gov. Jerry Brown urged business leaders in Los Angeles on Thursday to back his tax package, courting a powerful but uncertain lobby that could prove critical to winning Republican support.

The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office, saying current public pension systems are “too expensive and inflexible,“ is recommending two new pension models for future hires that shift some risk to workers and lower government debt.

Hundreds of developmentally disabled Californians and their parents and care providers packed the Capitol on Thursday to angrily or tearfully denounce Gov. Jerry Brown’s 2011-12 budget.

It was the latest outpouring of opposition to cuts in health and welfare services he says are needed to close a chronic deficit. Testifying en masse at almost daily legislative hearings, advocates for the poor, the aged and the disabled have hammered on two themes:

Worksouce California’s Employment Development Department spent $22.9 billion on unemployment benefits in 2010, a record amount, the EDD said Thursday. The benefits, paid to 1.7 million Californians, average out to about $90 million each business day.